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  2. Research /
  3. Cancer outcomes comparison

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    • Mind the gap - a cancer medicine comparison
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Tools & resources

  • Pharmaceutical Schedule
  • Annual Procurement Plan
  • Forms
  • Research
    • Medical journal articles
    • Māori health
    • Māori uptake of medicines
    • Technology Assessment Reports
    • Mind the gap - a cancer medicine comparison
    • Cancer outcomes comparison
  • Print and PDF resources
  • Glossary
  • Labelling preferences

Cancer outcomes comparison

PHARMAC has released the preliminary results of an analysis looking at health gains from cancer medicines funded in Australia and New Zealand.

Interest in New Zealand’s access to cancer medicines prompted PHARMAC to commission research assessing potential health gains achievable from cancer medicines currently funded in Australia but not in New Zealand.

Summary: Do differences in funding cancer medicines in Australia and New Zealand impact on people’s health? [PDF, 555 KB]

Full report: Australia and New Zealand cancer listings comparison [PDF, 335 KB]

Workbook and analysis: Australia and New Zealand cancer listings comparison [PDF, 4.3 MB]

We found that New Zealand funded 101 cancer medicines, and Australia funded 110.

This included 88 cancer medicines that New Zealand and Australia both funded.  We also found that both countries funded cancer medicines that the other didn’t: Australia funded 22 medicines that weren’t funded in NZ, and NZ funded 13 medicines that weren’t funded in Australia.

Most of the additional medicines funded in Australia but not in New Zealand do not offer health gains that would be considered clinically meaningful by international cancer specialists in recent research. Some of the medicines offer poorer health outcomes than the established NZ funded standard of care.

Few of the cancer medicines funded in Australia but not in NZ offer clinically meaningful gains for patients. PHARMAC has received funding applications for many (but not all) of these medicines, and they are undergoing assessment and consideration for funding alongside treatments for other conditions.

Last updated: 10 February 2016

Related info

Media release: NZers getting access to best cancer medicines

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